A 28-year-old Bangladeshi woman, Shanta Paul, who police say is an actress and model by profession, has been arrested by the Lalbazar Detective Department in Kolkata for allegedly possessing Indian identity documents such as Aadhaar and voter ID cards.
According to police sources, Paul has won several modelling contests in Bangladesh and had been living at a rented apartment in Bijoygarh, Jadavpur, since 2023. She was arrested by officers from Park Street police station.
During the arrest and subsequent search of her residence, the police recovered multiple identity documents, including an admit card of Bangladeshi secondary examination, an airline ID issued in Bangladesh, and two Aadhaar cards—one registered in Kolkata, and the other in Bardhaman.
The police said the Bardhaman Aadhaar card was issued in 2020.
Paul, who had recently filed a fraud complaint at the Thakurpukur Police Station, listed a different address there. According to investigators, she frequently shifted addresses and lived under different identities. Her involvement in an app-cab business reportedly brought her under the scanner.
Police sources said Paul could not provide a satisfactory explanation about the origin of the Indian documents. Investigators suspect a larger racket may be involved and are probing how the documents were obtained and which supporting documents were used.
Lalbazar has contacted the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the Election Commission, and the State Food Department to verify the authenticity of the Aadhaar, voter ID, and ration card. Her original residence is in Barisal, Bangladesh.
Paul was produced before a court on Wednesday and has been remanded to police custody till August 8. Her husband, a resident of Andhra Pradesh, is also under investigation, as are her parents, who were staying with her in the south Kolkata flat.
A male companion is being questioned, though no evidence has been found against him yet.
In 2019, Paul participated in the Miss Asia Global competition held in Kerala. In earlier media interviews in North Bengal, she said she was working in Bengali and Telugu films.